


Of Pharaohs and Thieves

by BlueJayTaco



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Ancient Egypt, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Child Death, Childhood Friends, Duel Monsters, Eventual Romance, Fanon character, KaibaCorp, Kul Elna, M/M, Millenium Puzzle, Millenium Ring, Mind Manipulation, Pharaoh Bakura, Protection, References to Canon, Revenge, Soul Room(s) (Yu-Gi-Oh), Team Up, Thief King Atem, Yami no Game | Shadow Game
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-04-18 09:35:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14210265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueJayTaco/pseuds/BlueJayTaco
Summary: The Nameless Pharaoh: responsible for saving the world at the risk of his own life and soul. No one knew his sacrifice. But it was all worth it to keep the world safe from a thief who made deals with demons for revenge and seal him away in the Millennium Pendant. He ordered for the item to be broken and never to be found again.Now? A young high school student did the impossible and released the thief from his prison. But, without any memories of his past, how is the pharaoh supposed to know what to do or how to do it? (AU Swap)





	1. Egypt

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm trying something I haven't seen but I'm sure exists in some form. This will probably be prone to sporadic updates as I work on other things; it's kinda more experimental than anything else.  
> Hope you enjoy!

 

The village was full of people who only wanted normal lives. It was a village of farmers and hunters; people who were fine with things being calm and relaxed.

But the village also had one boy who was most important to Atem.

Heba was only a year younger than Atem. He was born to a family who often helped his during the harvest. He was possibly the only person in the whole world who could solve the puzzles Atem placed in front of him.

They would play games together when they were younger. Anything they did was turned into a contest to see who could do it faster or better. Rules were made up and followed throughout. Out of all the children in the village, they were the only true challenge for one another.

Heba would smile and laugh with each win or loss. Atem looked at him and found he could live for that smile.

“I did it.” Heba presented Atem with the once broken stone and opened one eye to grin at his friend.

Atem had gotten only halfway to completing his own. His own eyes blinked open as he looked at Heba's. He smirked and pointed at a small piece of debris sitting in the sand by Heba's foot. “Nope. You missed a piece.”

Heba looked at it and frowned. “No, I didn't! That's way too small to count. Where would it even fit?!”

“Clearly, it would go right-” Atem looked and tried to point to a spot only to come up blank. He looked at the stone again and could feel Heba's eyes on him. He knew the smile was becoming more and more smug. He couldn't have that!

He dove in closer to Heba and left a long lick on the other's cheek. He then jumped up to his feet and ran. “You're right! I lost!”

“Eww! Atem!” Heba rubbed the wet spot off before he jumped up as well and chased after the other boy. “Get back here!”

Atem laughed and looked back. Life was good for a while. It wasn't completely perfect but it was enough. He thought he could spend his days thinking about how he and Heba would grow up and stay as close as ever. How their bond would be the most unbreakable.

Maybe they would marry twins. Or even... each other.

The thoughts came to a screeching halt one night. Atem awoke from a dead sleep to the smell of fire. As he rose up, he could hear the sounds of everyone in the village screaming. The sounds of horses and metal. And the sounds of bodies falling to the ground.

Atem trotted out and peeked around the door. He watched them slice down his mother and father until they were almost unrecognizable. He wanted to run to them and try to protect them but he was frozen in place.

None of the soldiers saw him. When they left his sight, he ran out to his parents. He touched them and felt himself try to wake them up.

It was no use. They were long gone.

He climbed to his feet, numb as his mind tried to process the events. Who would do this? Why would they do this? Were any of them safe?

Heba.

He had to find Heba.

Atem said a silent prayer for his parents as he ran off. He was too late to save them, but he would not allow his best friend to fall into the same fate.

He turned a corner into Heba's home and found his parents weren't there. However, Heba was wide awake, his back pressed against the wall as he stared up in terror at a soldier who looked as though he were conflicted.

But, whatever the thoughts, he didn't hesitate long. He brought up his sword.

And Atem rammed into his side.

He acted quickly. His hand grabbed Heba's and he dragged the other boy to his feet. “We have to run!”

Heba didn't hesitate much longer. The two ran. Atem's hand kept a tight grip on Heba's. They had to leave. Get far away from the village. He needed to get Heba to safety.

It didn't take long for the soldiers to catch up to them. When they did, Atem pushed Heba behind him and glared at them.

One of the soldiers spoke up. “Are we really going to kill children?”

“You know the orders. Ninty-Nine.” He sounded as if he were steeling himself for the moment. “Not one less.” He aimed his sword at Atem.

Atem's eyes slipped shut. At least he could protect-

_“Atem! Move!”_

He hit the ground as he was shoved to the side and he heard Heba scream. He turned just in time to see the body collapse to the ground and the light go out in the other's eyes. Atem crawled over to him; he'd never known such a small body could have so much blood. “H-Heba? Please.. please don't leave me. Please wake up.”

It was no use. He knew it. But what else was there to do?

Why was he still alive?

He turned as he heard the soldiers turn to walk away. Were they sparing him? They strike down everyone around him only to leave him be?

He would make them regret this.

Before he could process a plan, his rage took hold. He jumped at the soldier who brought Heba's life to a halt. He snarled at him, eyes full of enraged tears. _“I'll kill you!”_

The soldier looked in surprise. A second later, Atem was on him. He beat against the soldier with his fists, finding no weak points against the armor.

He was easily shoved off to the side.

Atem bounced back up and was at him again. This time, the soldier swung at him and the world suddenly turned black.

He didn't know how long he was out. By the time he woke up, Everyone was gone. The fires had burned away anything they could. The sun was sitting right on the horizon for a new day.

And the bodies were completely gone.

The village. His village. It was gone. It was all gone.

Atem was the only one left.

-

He thought about that night often. And how could he not? The image of Heba's cold vacant eyes were there every time he would close his own. He wasn't strong enough to protect the other back then. And, because of his cowardice, the village of Kul Elna fell and no one knows what happened. As the years passed, barely anyone remembered them.

Atem remembered. He was haunted by it. Literally.

How could he really help but make it his life mission to figure out what happened? Or why it happened? Or, even better, why the people who did it weren't going to Hell where they belonged?

That became the priority of his mission. He hunted down the soldiers from that night. The spirits of Kul Elna whispered and demanded blood for blood.

The whispers didn't stop with each death. But it sure made him feel better!

But they weren't always easy to find. Some of the men left their posts shortly after Kul Elna. Others took their own lives.

Some ran away. Those pissed Atem off the most. After a tip regarding the one soldier he tried to kill that night, Atem found himself far on the outskirts of Egypt. The man had changed his name and planned to live out his life forgetting what was done.

Like he should even have the right.

But it was an isolated spot where his body could rot and feed the vultures. He couldn't be too angry.

The small market was helpful to him. While Atem was full of rage for what happened, he knew very well that people were willing to respond to him with a well-placed smile and a compliment. And those who weren't so keen? Well, a nice casual threat on their lives was typically enough to ease out the information he required.

It didn't take long to find his target. There was another, very important tell. Anyone who saw Atem that night remembered him by looks alone; not many people in Egypt left their hair untrimmed much less having it in the state of his own.

So, when someone who remembered that night saw the spikes or red, black, and gold? They typically ran.

And, while Atem wasn't the strongest person in Egypt, he was definitely a fast one. And this soldier was older now. He was a heavier mass.

And his life expectancy dropped the moment his eyes locked onto Atem's and he ran.

They were in a small batch of trees when the soldier thought he was safe. He took the moment to stop and catch his breath.

Only to feel a thin rope press against his neck and tighten. He was bent backward and his eyes locked on to the red irises of insane rage that was Atem.

“You remember me?” The rope tightened.

The man gasped for breath, his mouth opened to greedily suck in the air his lungs couldn't accept.

Atem looked at him patiently. He's waited so long to kill this man and he wanted to enjoy it more than any other. So, as the man fell to his knees, he eased up the pressure. Just enough to let a little air in. “You weren't an easy man to find by any means. You did a great job in hiding but you couldn't run forever.” He glared at him. “Any other child murders in which you'd like to confess?”

“...It was for... the greater good...”

Atem's fingers tensed. He wanted to pull the rope again and pull until he stopped moving but... “How? You have no idea who you killed back there. How could Heba's death be better than his life?!”

“...A sacrifice. To create the seven items meant to... protect Egypt.”

Atem's glare darkened. “Whose orders did you follow?”

“Who else?”

He was right; Atem already knew the answer to that question. Which meant this man was nothing more than a useless waste of space. He returned his hold, tighter than before. And he held on tight as the larger man struggled to live.

He didn't let go until the body collapsed. Then, he pulled it closer to the Nile. He knew the body wouldn't last long there. And now he had a new mission; Overthrow the Pharaoh.

He would need help. Some kind of army to command would be ideal. It couldn't be that hard to find some people who thought about destroying the royal court. If they decimated one village, who was to say there weren't other places just as bad? Well, maybe not just as bad, but at least very neglected by those in power.

As Atem headed back into the small market, his eye caught the sight of a small glow near the river. He turned and looked.

Heba.

He hadn't aged a day and there was no sign of the attack on his body. He still looked beautifully innocent. Although, his eyes had aged by millennia. He looked on in disapproval. “Atem...”

Atem's jaw clenched. With the sound of his own name, his memories flashed back to that night and he felt the fear and the rage all over again. No one has called him by that name since that night.

He didn't count on being haunted by his loved ones, though.

Heba noticed but continued to speak. “You think this will actually help?”

There was hissing from the other voices. Yes, it would help. He would avenge the people of Kul Elna. All of them.

Even if Heba couldn't understand.

The spirit looked at him sadly. “Please. Don't lose who you are.”

“I won't.” He looked away from Heba. “But I can't let this stand. For them just as much as you.”

Heba moved in closer. He studied Atem and his body wavered. He turned and forced Atem to look him in the eye. Atem couldn't look at him; it hurt. He could only think about the life they could have had. The future that was cut short because of a few pieces of magic.

Heba nodded and looked down. “I see...” He sounded defeated. Unconvinced.

Atem wondered what the spirit saw in his eyes.

“Do what you think is right. You must follow your heart. But please, _please_ let go of that rage before it completely consumes you.”

His stomach tightened and he watched as Heba faded from view. He reached out to try and touch the other. He didn't want the boy to leave. He needed him to stay! He couldn't stand the thought of being left alone again.

But was he ever truly alone?

He could still hear the whispers from the spirits of Kul Elna. All of them wanted the opposite of Heba. It wasn't time to let go.

It was time to take action.

Atem turned away but not before he gave the newly vacant spot one last glance.

-

Father had fallen ill. It was a hard concept for the young prince to completely grasp. The man had always been strong. A strong heart, a strong body, and a strong mind.

But then, one day, he couldn't move from his bed. No matter how much Bakura tried to get him up, he won't move. The only time he did was when he took the gold ring from his father's neck and put it around his own. “Now I'm Pharaoh!”

Even then, his father's movements were slow and unsteady. He looked at Bakura and the ring with fear and regret. But then, he smiled. “Yes. Now, you are Pharaoh.”

That was the last thing he heard his father say. One of the handmaidens then ushered Bakura out of the room as the priests ran in. they didn't seem to notice the item still hanging around his neck.

Bakura had forgotten about it as well. He turned and wandered away from the chambers. He needed to think. He needed to breathe.

Was Father serious? Was he so far gone that he was just going to let his son take control? Was it truly that simple?

Hard to tell. Bakura was sure he felt prepared for it. Hell, he was _born_ for this! But it was mostly what he would have to give up for the job.

He stopped by one of the trees and leaned against it with a sigh. His father was ill; very ill.

“Bakura!”

His eyes snapped open. Shit, he should be hiding!

He climbed up the tree as the girl ran to it. She looked around with a frown. “You can't hide from me forever! Where did you put my staff?!”

Bakura smirked to himself. If Mana couldn't find him she wouldn't have any luck there.

“Ugh! C'mon, it's not funny! Master Mahad'll kill me if I lost another one. And I know you're here somewhere!” She looked around. Then looked up.

Bakura tried to pull back but the gold around his neck gave him away.

“Ah ha!” She pointed up. “I see you up there, you little rat!”

Bakura stifled a laugh.

But as she went climbing up the tree, someone else called out to her. It sounded urgent. “Priest Mahad requires your assistance!”

She ran off without another word to the prince. Bakura knew in his heart what was wrong.

The Pharaoh had passed.

-

The Pharaoh had passed.

Right after he found a group of people, none of which had names he bothered to learn. And none of which who knew his own name because, the moment it was uttered, Atem was brought back to the events of Kul Elna and the memories of Heba.

What was most important though? The Pharaoh passed; It was so unfulfilling.

He knew this would be the man who ordered the creation of the items. He knew this was the man responsible for the death of his friends and his family. He knew this was the man who, if he'd killed him himself, would release all the rage within him.

And now that man died. And not by Atem's hand.

That didn't seem fair in the least bit. How the Hell was he supposed to avenge these people if the bastard at the top goes and just lets himself die?

He asked that question to himself as he stepped into the newly settled tomb. He would leave the jewels and gold behind but he wanted to look good for the moment he stepped into that throne room and faced the bastard's son.

And what better way than to don his father's own gold?

“I think I would have made a good Pharaoh,” he said to no one as he forced a gold crown on his head. His hair wouldn't have it and the piece ended up sitting lopsided and falling down his forehead. He smirked to himself as it moved to cover his eyes. “Or maybe not.”

He took the crown off and tossed it to the side. That's when his eyes caught sight of the king's resting place.

Oh, he had a beautiful idea! What better way to display how little this life meant to him then by presenting the body right back to his son? It was much more effective than a spit in the face.

He stopped when the ghost appeared again, right between him and the king. Heba glared at him. _“No!”_

Atem blinked at him. “Excuse me?”

“Atem, you're taking this too far.”

“Have you seen yourself, Heba?! This man is the reason you're-” His tongue froze at the very thought of his last word. He clicked it against the roof of his mouth. “He deserves none of this honor. You know that just as well as I.”

Heba's glare softened. “Atem. You're about to desecrate a tomb. Imagine if you were in that position.”

“If I were in who's position?”

“The _current_ Pharaoh! This man's _son_!” Heba pointed at the sarcophagus. “Are you telling me you wouldn't be enraged?”

Atem glared at Heba. “If I were Pharaoh, none of this would have happened in the first place!”

“You can't know that.”

He blinked in confusion. Silence filled the tomb as Atem stared at Heba's spirit. Heba didn't look up to meet Atem in the eye but, after a tense breathless moment, he spoke again. “We can't predict how any of this could go. Anything could be different. But, I'm begging you; leave here now. Don't become the monster you think he was.”

Atem's heart stopped at the hurt that came from Heba's voice. Was this all... really hurting the boy? He couldn't be sure.

He sighed and looked down. “The body stays.”

Heba glanced at Atem when the other moved to a torch on the wall.

He grabbed it and stepped over to the sarcophagus. He pried it open and looked at the dried, wrapped form of the former Pharaoh.

He glared at the body as he tossed the torch onto the wrappings. Then, he took a step back and watched as it caught fire.

He didn't look at Heba as he walked out of the tomb, gold still adorned his body as he grabbed a bag he stuffed full.

Heba stared at him but didn't follow. The spirit just faded with a solemn look at Atem's back.

-

Word spread quickly of the fire in the Valley of the Kings. It was devastating and completely unheard of to allow a pharaoh's body to burn.

So, naturally, Bakura wanted to know why this happened to his father. How could the king's place of rest be so easily disturbed and who would have the gall to light the place a flame?

A man was forced to his knees before Bakura. The new Pharaoh glared at him as his guards punished the man for information.

It took hours of torture before he finally cracked under the pressure of one of the priests. “It was... a boy.”

Bakura glared at the man. “A boy? What was his name?”

“He never told anyone his name. He said he would answer to whatever pleased us.” The look in the man's eyes looked far away. “But... he has strange hair. Wild. Unmissable.”

Bakura nodded and looked at his guard. “Lock him up and find the boy. I want him to be punished for his crimes.”

“Yes, sir.”

Bakura had trouble resting that night. He tried to imagine the boy and think of reasons he would do something so depraved. He was obviously sick in the head. And like a sick dog, he had to be put down.

He was about to fall asleep when the pharaoh saw a boy who matched the description sitting right on his bed.

Bakura shot up as his eyes locked onto the other. The boy had wild hair, yes, but he didn't look like the type to desecrate a tomb. Or do anything even remotely close to it. He had wide, innocent eyes. Frightened in a way.

And he was transparent. That would also put a damper on the whole 'burning a pharaoh's body' thing.

Bakura eyed the spirit. “Who are you and why are you haunting me?”

The spirit tilted his head. “I've come with a warning. And to ask you a favor.”

He sat up straighter. “Start with the warning.”

The spirit looked down at the bed and frowned. “I know... the one who invaded your father's tomb.”

“Oh?”

“And... I know why he did it.” He looked up at the Pharaoh. “My name is Heba and I was a boy in the village of Kul Elna. I, along with many other men women and children, were killed and sacrificed to create those items.” He pointed to the Ring around Bakura's neck. His hand moved down hesitantly. “And there was one survivor of that slaughter.”

Bakura frowned. “He was there?”

Heba nodded. “The denizens of Kul Elna follow him everywhere he goes. He's consumed by the rage of watching everyone he loved die...”

Bakura sucked in a deep breath. “And that's why he took it out on my father.” He eyed Heba. “Considering you're still around, I'm guessing he's not done.”

“No. You're next.”

“Like _Hell_ I am.” He glared at the spirit. “Give me a name, kid. I'll make sure he meets a nice and painful end.”

Heba frowned. “He's not going to be so easily taken down. His name is the least of your worries. It pales in comparison to his intent.”

“His intent to kill me.”

“His intent to _destroy_ you,” Heba quickly corrected. “But that's only half of the reason I come here now.”

“Alright. What's the second part?”

Heba's eyes softened. “He's very important to me. I can't stand to see what he's become. So, I ask that you banish his rage and free him from this torture. Atem's had enough pain to follow him for lifetimes.”

Bakura raised an eyebrow. “So, it's 'Atem.'”

Heba gripped at his clothing and bit his lip. “I'm trusting you with it. But his name shouldn't be used. Please just free him.”

The pharaoh stared at the spirit. Free him? Who was Heba kidding?! How was he expected to release the rage within-

The look on Heba's face stopped Bakura's thoughts in their tracks. It was almost as if he could hear them and was very disapproving of them. So, instead, the king sighed. “I'll see what I can do.”

The expression slowly lightened and Heba smiled as he slowly faded. “Thank you.”

Bakura watched him fade and continued to stare at the spot as silence filled the room. He wanted to be angry. He wanted to tell Heba right where he could shove his plea then slice down his boyfriend like the rebellious snake he was.

But he couldn't. Not after that.

Bakura didn't sleep that night. He was already out of bed and dressed when the priest Seto stepped into his room. He stared out the balcony and over his kingdom. Somewhere down there, Atem was plotting his move.

Bakura would be ready.

-

“Gentlemen!”

Bakura was not as ready as he thought he'd be.

He expected Atem to break in through a window or something. Try to assassinate him without getting his own hands dirty. Poison his wine. Find his way into his room and stab him in his sleep. Something that involved sneaking around.

Instead, he marched right on in, covered in the gold from his father's tomb and a cloth headdress. He smiled as he took off the head cover and out sprung the wild hair. “I hear you've been searching for me.” He opened his arms and stared directly at Bakura. “Here I am.”

Bakura climbed up to his feet as everyone tensed and spoke loudly around him. “Yes. Here you are. I don't know whether to commend your bravery for walking right up to my throne or cringe at your stupidity for _walking right up to my throne._ ”

Atem shrugged. “You say your 'throne', I say a 'kid in a chair.'” He lifted his chin defiantly. “What're you going to do?”

“How dare you talk to the pharaoh like that, peasant! Know your place!”

Atem clearly wasn't listening to the guard who called out. Instead, he walked around the room and observed everyone. Most of the guest inched away from him but he didn't seem to notice of care. Food and wine were on tables and in hands. He took a cup from the stunned hands of one of the guests. “It would seem you're throwing quite the party. What's the celebration?” He took a long sip as his eyes locked onto Bakura's.

The pharaoh's eyes narrowed. “Don't pretend you care.”

Atem shrugged and swallowed the wine. “Fair enough.” He handed the cup back to the guest with a smile before he plucked a small ball of ta'amiya from the hand of another with an interested hum. There was a sigh of relief when the thief walked away. “We should get to it then.” He bit into his snack.

The casual nature of this guy's tone was beginning to piss him off. “Yeah, we should. Shouldn't we, _Atem_?”

Atem froze midchew. Slowly, he turned and looked at Bakura, his eyes wide and glassy. It looked as if the lights were on but no one was home.

The pharaoh smirked. “What's wrong, _Atem_? Did I touch a nerve, _Atem_? Not a fan of your own name, _Atem_? Does it piss you off that someone knows it, _Atem_?” He couldn't help it; he had to see why no one knew this guy's name.

Atem shook, the small ball fell from his slackened hand. His eyes were open wide and he hugged himself tightly. Then Bakura saw white.

And the pharaoh flew clear across the throne room. He slammed into the wall behind his throne and collapsed to the ground.

An inhuman snarl came from the beast behind Atem. A massive white guardian wrapped its serpent tail around the thief and its eyes kept a clear, enraged focus on Bakura. Both the ka and its master ignored the guests that flooded out of the room in terror.

Bakura's guards and priests moved into position while Mahad stepped over to take a look at his leader. “Would you say goading him was the best move?”

Bakura groaned and shot Mahad a glare. “How was I supposed to know he could summon a ka that strong?”

Atem was done joking around. He ignored the guards in favor of glaring in the pharaoh's direction. “How do you know that name?!”

Bakura pulled himself to his feet and called out to him. “I had your dead boyfriend in my bed the other night!”

Oh, if looks could kill. Atem's stare darkened in unbridled rage. The ka tensed and moved in to attack.

This time, Bakura was prepared. His own ka came forth and blocked the attack head-on. Promise or not, this little bastard was going down.

_-_

Bakura was livid.

Everything happened quickly after the first attack. He did what he could to protect himself and his men but they continued to get in the way. It didn't take them long to be thrown away by Atem's ka.

Mahad was the only one who seemed to be able to wound Atem but it came at a price. The priest sacrificed his own life and sanity for it.

When Bakura found the body, Mahad was missing his item. The Pendant.

He didn't have time to think about it. He needed to find Atem. On the upside, he now had a way to find the thief. On the downside, he stepped out to find the little bastard's band of misfits had been busy burning everything to the ground.

The Ring led him right to a decrepit village. He didn't need to ask; he knew what this was.

Kul Elna.

“Where's the little rat hiding?” Bakura looked around. His eyes landed on the spirit of Heba.

Heba shook his head. “He's not hiding from you. He just... doesn't know you're here yet.”

Bakura snorted. Right, he was more of an attack from the front guy. Not much for the element of surprise. “I know you're here, Atem. Come out and let's have a little talk.”

It didn't take long at all. Atem walked right out. He was holding his arm which hung limp and useless at his side. Blood dripped to the ground and stained the sand red. It was a satisfying sight, considering how many men were knocked down and killed by this idiot.

He was panting as he glared at Bakura. Then, his eyes softened ever so slightly into hurt as he looked at the other being present.

“Please.” Heba moved closer. “This has to stop.”

Atem backed up, turned, and ran.

Heba stopped moving towards the other. Instead, he turned and looked at Bakura. “Please be careful. He's in so much pain.”

The pharaoh climbed off his horse and stormed after Atem. “I'm about to relieve him of it.” He snarled at the spirit.

Bakura couldn't be sure what he was seeing when he rounded the corner. Atem had collapsed on the ground. He gripped his head with his good hand and his whole body shook. He could hear the whispers of the Kul Elna inhabitants. The Pharaoh could hear their demands. The demands for vengeance. The demands to seal away the items for good.

And he suddenly understood. He looked down at the thief, his eyes landing on the tip of the gold pyramid he wore around his neck. They had to be rid of the items; they were doing more harm than good.

“This... is where your precious items got their power.” His body trembled. “This is where... they all died.”

He stepped closer. “Ate-”

Atem turned, an insane look in his eye. Something on his forehead glowed. He glared darkly at Bakura. “This will be your grave as well!”

And so, the battle continued. Now with the power of the pendant, Atem fought like a man possessed, his ka morphed into something feral and unrecognizable. It quickly became clear it wasn't the only thing becoming feral.

Atem began to look like a wild animal. His eyes were wide and full of fear. Every once in a while, he would grab his head and shake as if he were fighting not only Bakura but something internal as well. Each hit from the Pharaoh only served to enrage him more. Soon, the two weren't alone but they offered only a little help as they were thrown like ragdolls. But, it wasn't completely lost. As the remaining five item users came forth, Bakura found it clear what he had to do.

There was a spell he knew they all could use. It would seal away this evil corrupt being that was once a man but it came with a price.

And it was a price Bakura was willing to pay.

“You can't do this!” Seto had screamed at him. “Allow me to make the sacrifice!”

“And let you take all the glory?” Bakura let out a laugh. “Besides, I need you to be in charge. I'll save the world and you get to clean up my mess.”

Seto didn't seem to like his joke.

But he had to trust in the pharaoh. So he did as he was told. The spell took the power of six of the items while the seventh responded to its companions' calls. There was screaming from the thief as he fought with a power he didn't understand.

Soon, the pharaoh and the thief alike had collapsed, their souls being absorbed into the items they wore. Their bodies slowly morphed into black husks as they were forced to feel every pull of their soul.

Atem's glassy eyes landed on Heba. He smiled at the spirit one last time. “This... was all for you.” His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell like a stone.

Bakura fought the pull of the item as Atem fell but he could feel it try to tear him apart as he did so. The pain kept him from standing upright so he just allowed himself to collapse to the ground.

He crawled over and pulled the pendant from the body. He tried his best to ignore the excruciating pain coming from his entire being as he reached up and handed Seto the item. “Destroy it and seal away the pieces. All of them.” He gripped his chest and panted. “If... I have to deal... with this again... I'm gonna be so _pissed_.”

There have been worse last words, Bakura decided. With the thought, he closed his eyes and embraced the darkness.

\- - -

Time passed. No one remembered the sacrifice of the pharaoh. When a tomb was found, it was found with six gold items inside a stone tablet.

Behind a wall, deeper in the tomb, they found a box. Inside were pieces of a puzzle.

Years later, it was taken from the museum. No one had seen it since.

Only a day after, another piece disappeared. This one just faded from the hands of the person preparing it for display. No one could explain it.

But somewhere in Domino, a young boy found the gold Ring in his home. He put it around his neck and the eye glowed. Suddenly, he was very far away.

As his body up and moved by itself. The Spirit of the Ring grumbled. Why was he so tired? What happened to him?

\- - -

_Seven Years Later_

 

He was so close to finishing it.

Yugi Mutou couldn't say what compelled him to work on the old puzzle he found among his grandfather's old possessions. If anything, the inscription on the side should have stopped him from even opening the box. 'Be warned. Whoever holds this item shall be cursed.'

But he still worked.

And, with the limited amount of friends at his disposal, why wouldn't he? He had the time and he didn't really care about himself too much so what did he care about some ancient curse?

Another piece slipped right into place and he smiled softly.

 


	2. Monster World

It was his first day at his new school. And Ryo was very unsure about this whole situation.

He knew the mission was probably important. That is if his other self could remember exactly what was so bad about having another item out to the public. When Ryo asked him why all the spirit could think up was _'because they're bad..._ _I think.'_

He sighed and held the Ring in his free hand. It responded with a point at the building.

“Are you sure they're really bad?”

The spirit appeared at his side, arms crossed. _Nervous?_

“I'm surprised you're not.” Ryo cautiously stepped through the gate with the other students. “What if they're the reason you can't remember anything?”

_Then I'll have a little talk-_

“No. All your 'little talks' end in someone bleeding.”

The spirit frowned. _That last guy tried to cut you first, Yadonushi._

Ryo decided to leave it alone as he walked into the school. He noticed a lot of people looking at him, mostly the female students. They giggled as he walked by.

The spirit eyed them carefully. _Put the Ring behind your uniform._ _It would do us no good to parade it out._

Ryo did as he was told and opened up his jacket. As he tucked away the Ring and began to readjust his uniform, he heard an amused snort from the spirit.

He looked up at him and found the other's eyes were on the group of girls. All of them watched Ryo with bright red faces. He was pretty sure one of their noses were bleeding as well.

Ryo's face was suddenly on fire.

Still, the spirit grinned. _I think this place will be very entertaining._

“I should have left you at home.”

 _I just would've appeared in your bag._ He leaned in a little closer. _You know you can't leave me behind._

Ryo sighed heavily. Maybe, whoever had this 'bad guy' in their possession would be able to talk to him about the annoyances of sharing a body with someone. They might be able to bond over it while the two spirits fought somewhere off in the background.

He walked into his class and felt a tremor come from the spirit. He looked up and saw the other had noticed something long before him.

His eyes zoned in on one student. He was short and far from intimidating with a disheveled uniform. His hair was a mess of black, red and blond. He smiled and laughed with a group of friends.

Around his neck was a large pendant. And something from within it seemed to snarl at him. Ryo was sure he could see a shadow of some sort possessively wrap its arms around the student.

Ryo glanced at the spirit. _Let me do the talking._

_Like fucking Hell you're doing the talking!_

_Koe..._

The spirit glared at him.

“We have a new student joining us.” The teacher called out to the rest of the class as everyone settled in their seat. “This is Ryo Bakura.”

Ryo gave a little bow and he smiled. “It's nice to meet all of you. I hope we become good friends.” His eyes focused on the short boy with the other item.

The boy's eyes met his own and he smiled. A wide, genuine smile.

_This can't be that bad, Koe. Look how happy the vessel is._

_Clearly the boy is important to them, yes. But that doesn't mean it translates to everyone else._

“Yo, Bakura!”

Both the student and the spirit looked.

A boy with messy blond hair waved to him. “There's an open seat here!”

“Don't do it, Bakura-kun,” a girl called out in fear. “Jounouchi will corrupt you.”

“Hey! Watch your mouth!”

Ryo smiled and found his way to his seat next to Jounouchi. This won't be so bad. It can't be so bad.

But he still felt something glaring at the back of his head.

-

 

“Hey, how about we all go to the arcade? Should be fun!” Jounouchi grinned at the suggestion.

Honda sighed. “I can't. I've gotta go meet up with my dad. He's got some work for me.”

Anzu frowned. “I've got plans too. I'd be able to go out on Sunday, though!”

The blond snorted at them. “You guys're lame. Guess it'll just be me and Yugi again.” He turned and looked at Ryo. “You got any plans?”

Ryo smiled back. “Oh no. I would just be going home.”

 _And playing with your figurines._ Bakura leaned over him.

Ryo fought the urge to look in his direction. _Hey, who bought the new mage? It wasn't me._

“Cool! You should come with us then!” Yugi smiled brightly. “It'll be a good chance for us to get to know you.”

_Which 'us?' Him and that psycho in the Puzzle? Him and his friends? Which 'us?!'_

_Calm down, Koe._

“That sounds like a great idea!” Ryo said to his new friends.

Yugi's smile grew even brighter.

As soon as class was out, the group ran for the door. Ryo followed after them, his eyes on the large pendant around his new friend's neck. He knew that Yugi was probably hearing all the same things he was. Of course, that's saying this being was even aware that he wasn't Yugi himself.

Bakura let out a soft hum as that thought occurred to him as well. _That would make things a little more difficult._

He didn't need to ask what the other meant. _What do you suppose we do about it if that's the case?_ Ryo stopped in front of his locker and grabbed his shoes.

 _Hmmm. Well, we could always tease them out._ The spirit crossed his arms. _What if... you host a game night. Prepare one of those roleplays you love so much._

I think I could use one of the simple quests from a book. _Why? What're you thinking?_

_You'll see. For now, let's just keep an eye on the runt. He might know more than we think._

Ryo nodded without turning to look at Bakura. When he did, partially to speak to the spirit directly, Jounouchi and Yugi were already standing by with smiles on their faces.

_Or, you could simply take it from him and smash it. I think I like that plan better; let's do that one._

Ryo ignored the spirit. “Let's go!” _I can try but what if it doesn't work?_

_Then we failed in our mission and the world will end like in that movie you forced me to watch._

_Don't pretend you didn't like it. I saw you crying._

_Those were tears of_ joy _. I was happy it was over._

Ryo fought the urge to smile as he followed after his new friends. Maybe this mission wouldn't be so bad; he didn't have a lot of friends in his old school. Most people left him alone. Especially when he started wearing the Ring to school.

But these people? They seemed nice. They might even make good, loyal friends after this mission was over. However, it was still too soon to tell. For all he knew, Yugi was the bitter type and wouldn't want him to take the Puzzle.

But then he looked at that smiling face and smiled himself. No, that wasn't Yugi. He was a good person. He would understand.

As the three of them played a few games in the arcade, Ryo kept an eye on Yugi. The smaller boy was clearly a fan of his games. He knew pretty much every game in the arcade with an intimate amount of detail. He smiled and happily explained how to play if either Jou or Ryo were having issues. When he would play either of them, he was almost always victorious.

 _Well, that's frustrating._ Bakura crossed his arms and huffed. _You can't beat him at a simple mortal game, who knows how it'll be when we pull him into a Shadow Game._

Ryo shot him a look.

 _What?_ _Nice kid or not, he's still the host to an evil parasite._ _I'm just saying... don't get attached just because he looks like a kitten._

Yugi turned and looked at Ryo in confusion, none the wiser to the internal conflict. “Bakura-kun? You okay?”

“Y-yeah. Everything's fine.”

It wasn't long after the three of them ran out of coins for the games and had to call it a day. Jounouchi stretched his arms as they stepped outside. “Ahh, now let's see 'KAI' beat all those high scores!”

Yugi grinned as well and nodded.

Ryo looked at the two and thought about what the spirit said to him. He shouldn't get attached; this could end in heartbreak.

And he could be alone again.

He pushed the feeling down then spoke up. “Hey. How about we make a game night this weekend. I can teach you all the roleplaying game I've been working on.”

Yugi's eyes widened with interest. “You created a game?”

_Color me surprised, as well._

Ryo smiled. “It's nothing really. Just a simple story.”

Jounouchi smiled right back at him. “Well, you can count me in!”

“Me too!” Yugi was nearly bouncing with his excitement. “And I bet Honda and Anzu will come too!”

“Great!” Ryo's smile widened. “The more the merrier.”

_Really?_

Jounouchi folded his arms behind his head. “We can tell them all about it at school tomorrow.”

The three of them parted ways from there. Ryo watched Yugi and Jounouchi walk off. He watched for any signs that Yugi knew what he was holding.

Nothing came. There were no glances off to the side, no change in expression, no whispers to himself. Maybe he really was oblivious.

He turned and walked down the street.

 _I would say it was quite an eventful day._ Bakura leaned a little closer to Ryo, his hands in his pockets. _Lovely idea inviting them over so soon._ _It would be best to end this sooner rather than later._

Ryo pulled the Ring out from behind his uniform.

_What's on your mind, Yadonushi?_

“He's completely clueless. Almost innocent.”

Bakura looked at Ryo and studied the boy's face. After a moment, he shrugged. _Maybe a little. But isn't that more of a reason to get this creature away from him?_

“What if... they're just like you?”

_I somehow doubt that._

“But what _if_? What if they have no idea who they are either? Can you really fight with someone when neither of you knows what's going on?”

Bakura blinked at Ryo. He wanted to think of something smart to say. He wanted to prove the boy wrong. Instead, he could only think of one thing. He shoved his hands in his pockets. _We should have Pork for dinner. You need more protein in your diet._

“I'll keep that in mind.”

-

“So, what's your plan for today?”

_I'm not going to tell you. You won't like it._

“I noticed a new figurine was carved. That one looked very much like Yugi.” Ryo glanced up from his book at the spirit. “Does that have something to do with it?”

For a long time, Bakura said nothing. He simply stared off to the side with his arms crossed. He didn't want to admit to Ryo. He wanted to keep his vessel out of the loop. Who knew how this other spirit might react when confronted?

“Koe.”

Bakura scoffed. Damn Yugi and his weird hair. _Yes. Yes it does. Now stop asking questions_.

Ryo sighed and shut his book. He then hopped up to his feet and walked to the door.

_Where are we going?_

“We could use some refreshments for our guests. I thought we should pick something up so they're not stuck with our leftovers.”

Bakura smirked. _You're such a good host, Yandonushi._

“Mhm.”

The spirit just watched as Ryo walked to the convenience store and scouted out different snack foods. It's been a while since his host had anything even remotely considered a friend. There was a time not so long ago where he was lonely. People stayed away because anyone who did him wrong would find themselves lost or injured.

For a while, Ryo couldn't explain it. He couldn't tell anyone why the boy who tripped him in the hall was found screaming and crying on school grounds the next day. Or the disappearance of the teachers who disciplined a little too harshly. But it became clear.

Too clear. It was possible the transfer to Domino hadn't come soon enough.

Bakura crossed his arms. It would be a shame to lose these people as friends. However, it might be the hardest friendship to keep around once the two ancient beings had their 'little talk.' Maybe it wouldn't be such a stretch to make them all forget.

Or, even better, make Ryo the hero.

“Koe?”

Bakura blinked and looked at his vessel. _What?_

“You... were staring at that container for almost five minutes. Would you like me to buy it for you?”

Bakura looked back at the item. It was some kind of spread. He shrugged. _Sure, knock yourself out._

Ryo looked at him flatly and grabbed the small container. “We should head back. They might be on their way.”

Bakura watched the people on the walk home. There was something interesting about watching people. While he couldn't recall anything about his own past, he felt like this was not anything like the people he used to live with. He felt like this was... different somehow.

They were right but not. Like there was something missing.

He stopped watching people when he noticed Ryo pause. The boy's eyes were wide, surprised. But it wasn't unpleasantly so.

“Bakura-kun!” Yugi waved. There he was, all smiles just like at school. He had his little gang with him; the group of misfits. “Sorry, we're a little early.”

Bakura glanced at Ryo. _You thought they weren't going to come, didn't you?_ Something about the realization didn't sit right with the spirit.

But then Ryo smiled as his new friends and Bakura felt a little better.

“Actually, you're right on time!” Ryo's grip on the grocery bag tightened just slightly. “I was just getting something for us to snack on during the game.”

“Alright!” Jounouchi grinned and looked at the bag. “Hope you got something good!” He let out a grunt as Anzu jabbed him in the side with an elbow.

Ryo just smiled a little wider. “I'm sure you'll be pleased.” He turned and headed for his home. “Why don't we go on now?”

The small group followed Ryo into the large complex. Most of the conversation was meaningless dribble about school and activities.

Nothing horribly unpredictable. And nothing having to do with the large pendant hanging around Yugi's neck.

Bakura waited and watched the group. They all did seem perfectly normal. They were harmless. It was really only Yugi who sat in the way of this being a good group for Ryo.

Ryo unlocked the door to the apartment.

_It's time. I'll take over from here._

He didn't give his host a choice. With only a second's pause, Bakura gained control. He smiled at the group as he pushed the door open. “Please come in and make yourselves at home.”

They all filed in one right after the other and took in the sight of Ryo's apartment. Most of the time, the boy was alone so there were no signs of his father's impression anywhere in the rooms. In fact, his bedroom was mostly used as a game room as he only ever spent a night or two with Ryo.

And, while it often benefitted Bakura greatly, it also annoyed him to no end. Something about the man leaving his son alone; he didn't like it.

But tonight would be one of those nights when it was beneficial. It wouldn't do to have someone walk in on what was about to happen.

Jounouchi let out a low whistle and looked around the apartment. “You've got quite a fancy set-up here.”

“Yeah, a place all to yourself? It must be nice.” Honda studied one of the photos on the wall. A trip his father had taken to South America just before his trip to Egypt.

Bakura placed the grocery bag in the kitchen and pulled out the container Ryo bought for him. “Yes, it can be pretty nice. Very quiet.” He opened the container and gave the contents a little sniff.

And almost immediately recoiled.

_No good?_

Bakura relaxed just a bit. Now was not the time to be discussing domestic things like food he may or may not like. They had to get down to business.

He turned and smiled at the group. “How about we take these into the other room? I already have the table all set up.”

They all looked at him curiously. He led them into the extra room. As promised, the table was perfectly set up next to a large shelf full of small figurines.

Yugi saw the table and immediately perked up with recognition. “Oh! Bakura-kun! You play Monster World?”

He wasn't at all surprised Yugi would know the game. In fact, it was pleasing to know. It meant he wouldn't have to explain anything about it. “Yes. I love Monster World.”

Anzu blinked and looked between the two. “What's Monster World?”

Yugi enthusiastically rambled on about the game. He was nearly bouncing with excitement, possibly happy to just go on about a game and explain its mechanics to his friends.

Bakura smiled despite himself. It was a shame this runt was the one the parasite chose. He did seem like a good kid. “I took the liberty to make you all figurines for the game. I hope you'll enjoy them.”

As Bakura moved around the table and sat down in front of the game's computer, he watched the small group of friends marvel over the design of the little figures. They excitedly found their seats only a moment later.

_Please don't hurt any of them, Koe. They're good people._

Bakura eyed the Puzzle around Yugi's neck. _I can't make any promises._ “Let's begin.”

They all put their little figurines on the board. Everyone started in the middle of the forest.

“Now, I warn you all. This game can be quite immersive. There's no shame in backing out.”

Jounouchi scoffed and sat back in his chair. “I can take anything you can throw at me!”

Everyone else mumbled in agreement.

Bakura smiled. “Very well. Yugi, roll for initiative.” He just needed the number to be above ten.

Yugi rolled.

Twenty-five.

Bakura nodded to them. “Well, I did warn you. Immersion is a powerful thing.” The Ring glowed under his shirt. “And this is far from an ordinary game.”

Before any of them could even blink, all the bodies collapsed in their seats.

He listened to the figurines all speaking and crying out in confusion. None of them knew what was going on. Bakura nearly felt sorry for them.

He sighed. “Now, you all must be very confused and worried about what's going on. Fear is normal. But, you must understand; I needed you out of the way.” His eyes darted up as he heard someone grunt on the other side of the table.

Yugi's body pushed itself up.

Bakura crossed his arms. “I need to have a little talk to the Other Yugi.”

The Other Yugi continued to stare at the board for a moment. Then, he looked up at Bakura, his eyes red and intense. It sparked something in the other spirit.

He knew this spirit. But _why_ did he know him?

-

The Other Yugi?

Yugi stared up at the “sky” of their world. He knew there was a strange phenomenon from the moment he solved the Puzzle. He'd been having blackouts and every once in a while, he'd hear a voice unlike his own.

Yugi wanted to say he didn't think much of it. But... how could he not?

“Yugi? What's Bakura-kun mean by that?”

He looked at Anzu. She was frowning at him. When he looked around to his other friends, he could see similar looks.

Yugi's eyes immediately found the ground. “Well... The past few months I've been hearing this voice inside me. It... It's been helping me.”

“It's been helping you?” The concern didn't leave her face. “How?”

“It's hard to explain.”

The sky opened up and the group looked to see the towering forms of Yugi and Bakura. Both of them had a much more intense expression on their faces. The Other Yugi looked confused as his eyes darted from Bakura then down to the real Yugi.

Yugi stared back and silently asked a question for only the other him. _Who are you?_ He put a hand on his chest as he suddenly felt very sad and worried for this other him.

It was as if he knew this wasn't right in the instance he was pulled away. And not because of the fact he was pulled from his body to talk to some other being.

“Bakura-kun!” He cried up into the sky. “Please don't harm the Other Me.”

Everyone looked at Yugi in surprise.

“He... He's not bad, I promise!”

Everyone could hear Bakura snort. “Yeah. We'll see about that.”

Yugi didn't like the tone Bakura used.

And, if he could see Bakura's face, he might see the lie. The Ring Spirit looked at the Other Yugi as calmly as possible. It took him a moment to ignore the anger and exasperation he couldn't place the meaning behind.

The Other Yugi still looked confused.

But Bakura had a feeling he knew a way to get this spirit right in his wheelhouse. He sat back and crossed his legs and arms. “So, we're going to play Monster World, you and I. You'll roll in place of all your partner's friends.”

“Part...ner?”

“Yeah, partner. Would you rather I skip the pretense and call him your host?”

_Koe..._

“Is that what you call your own vessel, Bakura? Does the boy inside you know about your presence?”

Bakura smirked. “Ah, so you _are_ a perceptive little bastard. But, yes, I don't bother to try to hide from Ryo. He and I have a mutual understanding, very different from you and the poor twerp you managed to enslave.”

_Koe. Play nice! We don't know if he's really evil or not._

_Please... Look at his face. That's the scowl of someone up to no good._

_That's the same scowl you give when someone insults you or me! Now play nice!_

He growled. “Fine!” His eyes snapped over to the Other Yugi. “What're you going to do?” He dipped a chip in the spread Ryo had bought him and shoved it in his mouth.

Only to spit it back out immediately after. He sneered at the flavor and texture. “Blech!”

Ryo sighed. _So, that's a big fat no for hummus..._

-

The game continued on and Bakura studied the Other's movements carefully. He took note as to how he treated each character. His eyes would flash to Yugi, as if seeking approval. But, ultimately, he showed little to no care for the other players on his own.

A shifting in Ryo told Bakura he wasn't the only one who noticed this.

_We can't let any of them get killed._

_I can't rig the game, Yandonushi. That is the highest level of unfair._

_You can't be serious. You'd rather kill these people than bend the rules??_

Bakura stared at the board then moved to type on the computer.

The hand moved on its own.

Bakura blinked but didn't fight to stop it just yet. _Ryo, what're you doing?_

_If you won't protect them, I will. Just play your game, Koe._

The Ring spirit fought a sigh and looked back at the Other Yugi. “So, what do you do? The orc is not going to bow to you and your gunman and warrior are both within one move of death's door. Of course, you could sacrifice them all to be sure your beast tamer can get out. He is the only one with ample health.”

The Other Yugi's eyes darkened and narrowed. Bakura found, just by looking at him, he didn't want to be right about this. He would prefer this spirit would show some kind of care for anyone other than his vessel.

But before he could open his mouth, the real Yugi shouted up. “I think I can turn it to our side!” He pointed at the creature's right arm. “He's wounded. Maybe that could give me a lead!”

Bakura smirked at the little toy Yugi. It was adorable the amount of determination that sat behind those eyes. “Very well.” He looked back up at the decidedly less adorable Yugi. “Roll for your partner, wouldn't you?”

The Other Yugi sneered and dropped the dice. 13. A decent roll but nothing substantial.

The beast continued to glower at its opponents but then let out a howl as something moved around just under the skin of its arm. A small hand found the opening in the wound and the person pulled themselves out.

He wore a white mage outfit, complete with a staff. The little mage glanced over at the other players as he pulled himself free completely.

Yugi looked at him in confusion. “Bakura-kun? Does that mean...?” He looked up at the DM.

Ryo nodded and gave Yugi a small smile. “We have a lot of things in common, Yugi.” He shot a look up to his other half.

Bakura knew that expression. It added a little more to his sentence. Disapproval. Especially being both spirits don't care about the lives of others. The Ring Spirit huffed and looked over at his opponent. “It would seem there was an ally waiting in that beast.”

The Other Yugi stared down at Ryo, his jaw tight and his expression anything but calm.

Bakura's eyes hardened at the sight. He better watch himself if he was about to attack the little mage. Bakura would rig the game himself if it meant keeping Ryo safe.

Of course, no one else would have to know that but him.

-

Keeping Ryo safe was more of an undertaking than Bakura thought it would be.

First, he stepped in the way of just about every attack Bakura threw at them. He stepped forward in areas he knew were full of traps and he kept eyeing the two spirits above, as if he were daring them to come and try to pick him off.

They were going to have a nice long talk about this shit later. For now, He needed to bring this game to a proper close. And he needed the Other Yugi to understand he was not one to be tested.

By the calm demeanor of the spirit, Bakura could tell he wouldn't get that message across this time.

Especially when Bakura flinched and tensed as one attack forced Ryo to collapse.

The Other Yugi had the gall to look smug. “What's wrong, Bakura-kun? Did your host do something you did not approve of?”

“Shut it.” _Yandonushi, are you alright?_

There was no response.

_Yandonushi._

Still silence.

“I believe it's your move, Bakura.”

 _Ryo!_ Bakura stared at the little body of his host.

He nearly laughed in relief when the little mage twitched and let out a soft grunt. Instead, he looked up at the Other Yugi. “The remaining demons surround your team. If you are to walk out with the king's head alive, you must leave behind something else. Something to be drained of power in order to kill the remaining enemies in the castle.”

The Other Yugi crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. “Well, I must leave behind a sacrifice for the enemy. Hmm.” He eyed the injured mage as Anzu carefully helped Ryo to his feet. “I think this game is mine.”

Yugi frowned up at his other self.

“I decide to leave the mage.” The Other Yugi's eyes stayed locked onto Bakura's, clearly looking for a reaction.

Bakura knew there was no ill will meant for Ryo. But this dark version of the twerp wanted to see him panic. To see him in pain.

He wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Bakura closed his eyes as the dice hit the table. He opened them again and tried not to grin sadistically.

One.

“Your sacrifice fails. Instead, the power needed from your sacrifice is pulled from the strongest. And, by extension, you.” He felt a little bad about what needed to be done.

Yugi cried out in pain as the remainder of his health was drained.

The Other Yugi gritted his teeth and gripped the side of the table. The pain must have been absolutely excruciating but his eyes stayed stubbornly focused on Yugi as the other players gathered around him in attempt to alleviate the invisible attack.

“Stop! Leave him be!”

Bakura watched the Other Yugi with a guarded expression. “It's too late for that. You had your chance to back down in the beginning and spare everyone of this. Because of your actions, you're forced to watch this pain.”

“He's done nothing!”

“The punishment won't cease until you give in.”

The Other Yugi snarled and gripped his head. Bakura watched him closely as he shook. His instinct was to survive. He wanted to fight this all, other people be damned.

But the real Yugi was all he cared about. And as the little body curled up on the floor of the grid, the Other narrowed his eyes.

“I yield.” As the words left his mouth, all the punishment left Yugi to fall on him. He screamed loud enough to make Bakura flinch.

Then, his eyes rolled back and his body collapsed like the others.

Bakura stood up and eyed the Puzzle.

_Koe._

He didn't look down at his host. Instead, he just stared at the item as the dark magic began to disburse with the end of the game. He fell back in the chair as everyone sat up. Confusion was passed around like a conversation as they all began to process what was going on.

Yugi's eyes stayed on Bakura.

Bakura gave the boy a smile before Ryo took hold and he relinquished control of the body. He was sure there was some explaining that had to be done. He was sure the Ring would be locked away for the night.

And he was sure this little bout with the Other Yugi was far from over.

-

“I'm sorry about last night.” Ryo had said the next day at school. Yugi, exhausted as Ryo looked, simply brushed it off with a smile and hoped they could move passed what happened.

It had been days since Ryo apologized to him. He still hadn't completely moved passed it.

Everyone else in their group had turned to Yugi nd he could tell they were partially wondering if it was all just a dream or were he and Ryo really possessed by some ancient spirits. Nobody dared ask, possibly out of fear for it being true. After all, how were they supposed to handle that? It wasn't something as clean cut as a problem with a friend or failing a test.

How was Yugi supposed to handle it?

He had accepted Ryo's apology. It wasn't his fault the two beings decided to take that time to duke it out. He did everything he could but it was clear to both of them. If the two spirits wanted to fight there was little either of them could do.

They could only hope not to die in the process.

Yugi placed the Puzzle on the sink and stared at it. Since it was solved, the item hadn't left his side. He had thought it was unique in its own right; the only one of its kind.

It turned out there was more to it. This wasn't just some genie lamp here to give him a couple of friends and keep him from loneliness. This was an all-out battle.

And the fighter within that Puzzle was angry.

He wondered if there was some way to relieve him of that rage.

He pulled off his clothes and started the water with the thought. Was he the right person for this? Why, out of all the people in the world, was little Yugi Mutou the one to solve this thing? Did he actually have the ability to help the spirit?

Maybe. Every time he looked at the Puzzle and thought about the unnamed spirit, there was a deep seeded sadness in his stomach he couldn't explain. He didn't really know this being; how could he feel for him in such a way?

The fog filled the room as Yugi just stood in the shower, deep in thought. What was he to do? He couldn't be sure if anything was really the right answer? He could attempt to help the spirit only to get overwhelmed by an experience no one could possibly comprehend.

He could abandon everything and just rebreak the Puzzle, thus dooming the lost ghost to who knows how many more years of slumber.

Or he could hand over the Puzzle to the only person who seemed to know what was going on.

Yugi swallowed thickly at the idea. Could he really trust Bakura? He couldn't be sure. It was better than smashing the item, but what would happen if the other spirit turned out to be something evil.

He did trap everyone in a game and threaten to kill them, after all.

Yugi sighed and hung his head. He had little choice when it came down to it. He had the Puzzle for a reason. Whether he knew what it was or not was a moot point.

He shut off the water and stepped out of the shower.

Only to immediately cry out and cover up. “What're you doing in here?!”

Bakura eyed Yugi coolly. “So you are still within sound mind.”

“This isn't the time!”

_Koe? Why did you lock me in- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!_

Bakura ignored the screaming from both and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He moved closer. “Is the other you still around?”

Yugi shrunk back for a second. The Puzzle glowed from its spot on the sink and Yugi's mood changed.

“Bakura! How dare you break in here!” He no longer bothered to cover up as he pointed at Bakura accusingly.

Yugi kept nearby. _I'm still naked!_

Ryo glared at the Ring spirit. _Koe, this isn't the time or the place for a fight!_

Bakura continued to ignore him. “Please, I'm only here to make sure you're not going to try anything now that you know I'm onto you.”

“You mean similar to how you tried to murder me and my aibou.”

“You're what now?”

He didn't repeat himself. Instead, he just glared at Bakura.

Bakura snorted. “If I wanted you two dead, you would be. My real question is how you avoided punishment so easily.”

His eyes narrowed. “Maybe I'm not the one who should be punished.”

Silence filled the room as the steam started to fade. It was a long tense moment before Bakura smirked and nodded. “Maybe.”

The Puzzle spirit relaxed just a fraction.

_Koe..._

“I'm not going to pretend to know what you did to get trapped in that item. We're kind of both in the same boat there. Just let it be known that I have every intention of tearing you apart the moment you step out of line.” He backed up and headed for the door. “Until we meet again, Yugi.”

He stepped out of the bathroom and headed for the window he managed to pull open. As he climbed back out and carefully found his way to the ground, the words from Yugi echoed in his head.

Who was this guy? Was he really deserving of punishment? After all, the punishment game didn't take as it usually would. The Other Yugi should be fighting off his demons and crying in a corner.

Instead, he was jumping to the defense of his... aibou.

_You shouldn't have done that, Koe._

_I'm sure that's a running theme here, Yandonushi._ He walked down the street and looked at a small piece of paper he had scribbled on. The name and addresses of Yugi's friends. They all had to have a talk.

And Anzu Mazaki was his next stop.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Koe- Basically translates to "a voice."  
> Half of writing this was trying to figure out what Ryo should call Bakura.


	3. Duelist Kingdom- Part One

“Do you have any idea what you're asking us?” Anzu eyed the possessed boy sitting across her table with a cup of tea in his hand.

“Yes, I do. And no, I don't think it's much. You care about your friend, yeah?”

“Well, yeah but-”

“The Puzzle and the monster within it aren't him, Anzu.” He took a casual sip and winced as he placed it on the table. “Your tea sucks.”

Anzu frowned at Bakura, ignoring his insult to stay on topic. “The Other Yugi saved my life once.”

Bakura said nothing. He just crossed his arms and listened.

“He must've still thought he was Yugi and... I barely remember a majority of it. But, there was this man who...” She folded her arms over herself protectively and looked down. “It- it doesn't matter what he tried to do to me. All I know was this 'monster' was the one to get me to safety.”

Bakura's eyes softened ever so slightly. “What happened to the man?”

Anzu stared at the ground in front of her. For a moment, her eyes widened as she realized something but she was quick to cover it. She shook her head. “I don't know. It was never that important to me to find out.”

Bakura nodded. “I see.” He stared at her and tried to will her to look at him. “I can tell you with absolute certainty that man is dead.”

Her head snapped back up.

“I'm not going to say he didn't deserve a painful, agonizing death. But I'm sure that's what he got for what he did for you. But that's not the worst part.” His eyes narrowed. “The worst part is all of that blood shed for you is on Yugi's hands.”

Anzu paled a little.

“You can sit here and tell me all you want about how he saved your life and honor and all that bullshit, but at the end of the day? Anyone who saw that would blame _Yugi Mutou_ , not some demon controlling his body.”

_Are you failing to see the similarities, Koe?_

“I'm not asking you to take the Puzzle. That would be my job and mine alone. What I'm asking is for you to keep the Other Yugi from doing something that'll put your friend in danger. Do you think you can handle that?”

“I think I've handled it pretty well already.”

“And yet he's cursed.”

Anzu glared at him.

Bakura stared at her, clearly already tired and bored of the conversation. “Keep me informed and involved in any movements from the Other Yugi. _That's all I ask_.”

“Why do you care so much about this?”

“Because this is the reason I'm still around.” He couldn't be too sure if that was the complete and honest truth. But it felt right to say. So, he would have to go with it. He stood up as if to leave. “Just keep this all in mind. I'm not going to force you to listen to me, but I promise you'll eventually regret it.”

“Does the _real_ Bakura agree with this?”

Bakura just stared at Anzu, his face blank and unreadable. He stared coolly into her glaring eyes before he spoke. “Ryo is not at liberty to discuss this topic. Even if he was, he's seen enough to know this is not going to be the best road for Yugi to travel. Especially now the monster knows he's not actually Yugi Mutou.”

“I'd rather hear that from him.”

Bakura let out an exasperated sigh. Why were these people so stubborn? _Yandonushi, did you hear?_

 _Yes._ _Let me try..._

Bakura took a step back and allowed Ryo full control.

He looked at Anzu with a frown and slowly sat back down. “I know this is all very difficult to hear, Anzu-chan. But what the spirit says is right; this situation is very dangerous.”

“Do you think we can trust him if we can't trust the one in the Puzzle?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away briefly. “It's hard to say. All I know is the spirit of the Ring has had many opportunities to keep me locked up in my own mind but yet I'm here now. It's possible the same is true for Yugi but... when I first discovered the other, I kind of wish I had someone there to keep a lookout and make sure I wasn't in trouble.”

Anzu's eyes softened.

Bakura listened but didn't say a thing. He had a feeling of Ryo's thoughts but it was different now that it was voiced to someone.

“It's possible both of them are dangerous. After all, they're spirits imprisoned in ancient items; they're here for some reason.” He wrapped his hand around the cord of the Ring. “But I've had plenty of practice in this and got lucky most of the time. What are the odds of Yugi having the same luck?”

Anzu nodded and looked down. “Maybe... it's not luck.” Before Ryo could ask what she meant, she looked back up with a new fire of determination. “Alright. I understand. I'll keep an eye out for Yugi and the Other Yugi. But it's just to keep him safe. I'm not going to hurt him or anything.”

Ryo shook his head. “No, absolutely not! I would never ask that of you.”

“Would _he_?”

“If he does, you don't have to listen. It's not like he's a king or anything.” He glanced in the direction of the spirit.

Bakura shrugged. _Yandonushi, for all we know, I could be a_ god _._

Ryo shook his head and looked back at Anzu. “Thank you for taking this time to speak with us. I hope we didn't impose too much.” He stood up again.

“No, you were fine.” She stood as well and walked with him to the door. “I hope you have just as much luck convincing Honda and Jou of this.”

He smiled. “It's alright if I don't. Having you there to help will be more than enough.”

She looked at him in surprise for a moment. Then, a soft smile crept onto her face.

_Well, isn't this nice._

“I'll see you at school, Anzu-chan.” He gave her a small wave and walked out the door.

Bakura gave a glance back to see Anzu follow Ryo with her eyes. She would make a good ally. _One down, two to go._

Ryo nodded.

-

The arrival of the Ring was something Ryo would always remember. Even if the memories were foggy for a little while before Bakura discovered he wasn't alone in the body.

His father had brought the items back from Egypt to put in the museum. When he did and the Puzzle had disappeared, Ryo woke up the next morning with the Ring around his neck and news that his little sister had gotten into a horrible accident.

He didn't know if the two events were related. He didn't want to find out.

But he remembered the day he discovered the lost spirit who stole his body. The Ring had been around his neck for a little over four years. He was at the museum, waiting for his father to finish discussing some kind of boring adult business.

But soon, he wasn't alone.

“That's a lovely necklace you have there.”

Ryo looked down and lifted the Ring. As soon as he touched it, one of the points lifted and moved in the direction of the voice. He looked at him; a well-dressed man with a curtain of white hair that hung over one of his eyes.

The other crinkled and joined his smile.

“How much do you think its worth?”

Ryo frowned. As a kid, he was barely aware of the worth of anything much less a precious artifact. So, he just shrugged. “Probably all the money in the world.”

The man chuckled. “I think you're pretty close.” He sat down next to Ryo. “I'm making a collection of items like that one. Maybe we can make a trade.”

Ryo didn't want to make that trade. He made that clear as he pulled the Ring away from the man's reach.

The man just smiled. And it was that smile that made him forget for a long time.

That was until Bakura's memories melded with his own. It was then that he knew what happened.

There was a flash from the man's eye that locked Ryo away in a room in his soul. But, before the man could take the Ring from his body, Bakura stepped in.

“You have made a grave mistake here.” The boy glared at him. “Do you truly wish for this to be your end? Keep your hands off my Ring!”

He was taken aback by the sudden change. Seeing the change in demeanor in this child meant he would have to attempt a different way. So, he regained his composure and smiled again. “Of course! I wouldn't want to just take it from you, my boy. How about a small game instead? Your item for mine.” He pushed the hair away from his eye to reveal the golden eye of Horus.

And Bakura smiled. “I accept.”

It was the first time Bakura was able to play Duel Monsters. He played it with an instinct so deeply ingrained in his blood, the cards felt as natural to pull as breathing. It wasn't nearly as hard to keep up with the man as it should have been, considering he was the creator of the game. Even as the shadows crawled in and demanded a sacrifice, the boy stayed resolute.

Bakura beat Pegasus.

The older man looked shocked as his life points were completely depleted. He looked at Bakura, his eye wide.

Bakura just stared at him as he moved closer. “I want you to remember this moment, Pegasus. This moment you lost ownership of that item.” He reached out.

Pegasus flinched and stayed tense even as Bakura simply tapped it.

“I'll allow you to borrow it for now. But the next time we meet, I will be there to collect.”

Years passed. And now?

“So, he's been kidnapped?”

Honda leaned against the wall near the rooftop door. “It's not really that clear-cut. His soul was removed from his body. Ever since Yugi beat Kaiba and became King of Games-”

The Ring glowed. “Yugi did _what_?”

Honda looked at Bakura in surprise. “You didn't know? He took out Kaiba about a week ago. No one has seen him since.”

_Well, that's concerning..._

Bakura's eyes narrowed. He would have to make a note to check in on Kaiba somehow. For now, he had another focus. “What happened to the grandfather?”

“It's kind of hard to explain. He's in the hospital now. The doctors say he fell into a coma but Yugi insists his soul was taken by Pegasus. Does... that sound about right?”

“Yes.”

“He was 'invited' to duel in a tournament on the wackjob's private island. We're all going to find a way to get there but you need to be a duelist to board the ship.”

Bakura nodded. “Leave that to me. I'll find an opening for us to get on.”

Honda stared at him for a moment. His eyes darted around Bakura's face as he opened his mouth again. “You're not... going to... drive anyone insane or anything, right?”

“Not unless they ask for it.”

_Koe, that's not helpful._

_I'm not going to lie to him._ _Some people deserve what they get._ The spirit put a hand on his hip. “When does this ship disembark?”

“A few days from now. Yugi and Jounouchi are already preparing to leave.”

“Then we should too. Pack anything you may need for the trip and meet me at the docks. I'll expect Anzu to do the same.”

“They won't just let us on the ship. This is for duelists only.”

“I doubt I'll be allowed to participate anyway. That's why we're going to sneak on.” Let them try to kick them off when they were already out to sea. Or even on the island itself.

“...Why wouldn't you be allowed to participate?”

Bakura said nothing to that. He just turned to the door. “Pass the message on to Anzu for me.”

“Where are you going?”

He didn't answer. He just walked through the door and headed down the hall. Ryo watched silently as Bakura went to their locker and changed shoes. He didn't need to ask; he could feel the small glimmer of concern sitting in his other half.

The walk was silent. Neither of them talked about what was discussed on the rooftop. They didn't talk about Yugi's grandfather. They didn't discuss how they would get onto the ship. All of that seemed less important.

It was a long trip that took two train stops to get there. When Bakura walked out of the station, it was in a neighborhood he would never be able to afford in this lifetime. The houses around them were massive with the land being equally so. Bakura kept his eyes straight. He stopped in front of one of the mansions. He didn't even bother to wait for someone to let him in. He walked passed everything without a thought.

And when he walked in, he knew exactly where he was heading.

On the upper level towards the end of the hall was a bedroom. Within that room, he could feel something cold. Something unnatural. When he stopped in front of the door, he could hear a soft voice.

“... Seto, please... Just... I don't know what to do.”

Bakura stepped into the room and saw the young Kaiba standing by a wheelchair facing a giant window. He looked tearfully at his brother before his eyes snapped around to Bakura. For a moment, he looked confused and afraid. Then, he sniffled and rubbed the tears away. The young boy jumped into position between him and the older Kaiba. “What're you doing here?! I'm not going to let you hurt Seto!”

_Koe, please be cautious here._

Bakura nodded grimly to Ryo. The boy had already been through enough. “I'm here to help you.”

“Help?! You mean like how _Yugi_ helped?!” He gestured back to the older Kaiba.

Bakura stared at Mokuba. The boy looked as if he hadn't left this room for even a second since his brother became comatose. His clothes were wrinkled and stained and his hair was a mess of black. Near the wheelchair sat a plate of food, cut up and moved around but nothing eaten.

Bakura felt a small pang of pity for the boy. “I'm here to undo what Yugi did to him.” He walked around Mokuba to get a better look at the older Kaiba.

Mokuba followed after him.

Bakura carefully regarded Kaiba. His head was tilted slightly to one side and his eyes were foggy and unseeing. The usually thin boy was even moreso without the ability to properly eat or move his muscles. He looked sunken in, as if he were becoming nothing more than skin and bones. It was clear in his clothing as it hung from him in a way Bakura doubted was normal.

He waved his hand in front of Kaiba's face.

“Are you going to help or make fun of him?”

Bakura sighed through his nose and gripped the Ring. “Yandonushi, take care of the boy.” He took it off and looped the item around Kaiba's neck.

Ryo was suddenly pushed to the surface. He blinked in confusion. “Koe, what're you doing?”

There was no answer.

-

Chaos. That was the only way he could think to describe the state of Kaiba's soul. He'd seen the soul room before. And while his comparison was only Ryo's and his own, he could tell this was not the way a soul room should look.

It was in a constant state of breaking and reforming. Every time it would snap together, the pieces would change and make it impossible to fit together again. He stared for a moment in search of a pattern.

He couldn't find one.

“Who are you?”

Bakura turned. He expected a full-grown Kaiba set in his anger. Instead, he received a child version of the brunet. His eyes were still large and slightly naïve. His stance was tense but curious. There was something tight in his grip.

And Bakura couldn't tell if this truly was the Kaiba he needed to find. “That doesn't matter right now.”

The boy frowned. “It does to me.”

He stared at Kaiba. He didn't really know how to answer the boy's question. He didn't know if he wanted to know the answer. Instead, he squatted down to Kaiba's level and nodded to whatever the boy gripped. “What do you have there?”

Kaiba gripped the object tighter. He took a step back, almost as if he would rather run than confess to what he was holding. But then, reluctantly, he opened his arms to reveal a....

Well, Bakura couldn't be sure what it was supposed to look like but he could see it was broken into a million pieces. Some of it was already pieced together but it wasn't a lot. He must have been at it for the week he's been gone.

Meaning his body would likely give out and die long before he completed whatever task was presented to him. The Other Yugi wasn't messing around. Kaiba was looking at a slow and painful death.

Bakura sat on the nearly nonexistent floor. “Bring it here. I'll help you.”

Kaiba eyed his carefully and brought the makeshift puzzle back to his chest. “Why would you help me?”

“Because you have a brother to take care of. And, I don't know, you reminded me of something.” When he looked at Kaiba, he could feel just the bare minimum of emotions and memories. It was as if it were a dream he could almost remember.

Like the whisp of thoughts his mind refused to connect.

He didn't allow himself to worry about it too much. Kaiba moved over to him and knelt down. He carefully placed the already completed part down before dropping the remaining parts between the two of them. Bakura looked at them grimly.

“Well, this is gonna take forever.”

“You don't have to help me.”

“Shut up, I'm helping you and you're gonna like it.”

-

Ryo and Mokuba sat in silence for a long time. Both of them just stared at the comatose Kaiba as if waiting for him to simply wake up and take a step out of that wheelchair. But they both knew he wouldn't. Not yet. There was something missing inside him right now.

Every once in a while, the eye on the Ring would glow softly but then return to just being an object around the brunet's neck.

It was dusk before Mokuba spoke and acknowledged Ryo. “I didn't want him to take that card.”

Ryo turned and frowned at Mokuba.

The younger Kaiba continued to stare at his brother. “I knew something would happen if he did it. Something bad. But... I thought it would just be him losing track of himself or something like that. He's a good guy.” He finally looked at Ryo. “It's just sometimes I think that's hard for people to see.”

Ryo listened to Mokuba and let the words sink in. He looked back at Kaiba. He hadn't said much to the brunet but he'd seen him in class. He kept to himself, mostly. But just wanting to be left alone didn't make a person bad. “Yeah. I think I understand.”

Mokuba glanced at Ryo.

“He can't be that bad. He wouldn't be able to take care of you.”

The boy blinked back a few tears and snapped his head back to look at Kaiba. There was nothing else left to say.

-

Piece by piece they worked. The object began to take the form of a silver heart as the room around them also fell into place. Bakura didn't take the time to look around at it; he just kept working. The small slivers cut against his hands and he could feel them start to bleed.

A glance at Kaiba told him the boy was experiencing the same issue. Still, they pressed on. The need for the heart's completion outweighed any pain or blood they would experience here.

Bakura couldn't tell exactly what caused him to go to such lengths to take care of Kaiba. He could have watched all of Yugi's other friends die in a pit. The only one he thought he would care about was his host. Even then there were days he wondered if he should be somewhere else.

He hoped this moment would help answer the question within him. Why did he want to have Kaiba back to where he was? What was Kaiba to an ancient spirit with a destiny far removed from most of the brunet's life?

With each piece that slipped in place, Bakura was given no answer. But he couldn't be too surprised; the answer behind this particular puzzle wasn't for him.

He stopped with his part and pieced it onto the main part left off to the side. Bakura looked around the room to see the pieces of it slip and clack into place. There was something inherently intimate about being there. He knew he wasn't invited and, under normal circumstances, there was no way Kaiba wouldn't reject him immediately. But now that he sat in it, he couldn't help but look around. Part of him hoped it would somehow give him an answer as to why he was so ready to help Kaiba.

Then, in turn, maybe it would help him figure out his place and who he really was.

But the room gave him nothing. It was shrouded in darkness with places for its owner to hide away. Some parts had yet to form but, as they did, Bakura could see the more sentimental Kaiba. The Kaiba who cared for his brother more than anyone. And the Kaiba who still had parts of the past within him.

The last piece slipped in and the heart-shaped puzzle turned to sand in his hand. The young boy stared as the pile slipped through his fingers.

The room began to shake as blue eyes locked onto him in a deep, enraged glare. “You're not supposed to be here.”

-

The scream was sudden and deafening.

Both Mokuba and Ryo snapped around to look at Kaiba as the light returned to his eyes. As soon as it did, he gripped his head and continued to howl. Long fingers tangled in the brown locks and he began to pull.

“Seto?! Seto!!” Mokuba was at Kaiba's side in an instant. He took hold of his brother's wrists and pried them away from his head in hopes of keeping the older boy from hurting himself.

The screaming didn't stop. It was wordless and full of pain. As his hands were forced away from his hair, Kaiba threw his head back. His eyes were open wide as he stared at the ceiling.

Ryo carefully took hold of the Ring and took it from around Kaiba's neck. The screaming didn't stop even then. He thrashed to try and get his hands free from Mokuba.

The moment the Ring was back around Ryo's neck, Bakura took control. He was back at Kaiba's side.

_Koe, what did you do?_

Bakura didn't answer him. He just stood over the chair and gripped either side of Kaiba's head. He forced the eyes on his own. “Kaiba! Come back. You can get through this.”

The thrashing calmed slowly.

“You're needed here. You can't afford to lose your mind yet.”

Kaiba blinked and the blue eyes focused on Bakura's. His body trembled for a moment as if to test the other two's grip. But when neither of them let up, Kaiba relaxed.

Mokuba released his brother's hands. One immediately flew up and gripped Bakura by the shirt front.

“What did you do?” He hissed the words, his accusing tone a perfect contrast to Ryo's gentle confusion.

Bakura was not at all intimidated. “I helped you. You're welcome.”

Kaiba's eyes narrowed as he released the other. He looked around the room before his eyes finally fell on his brother. They softened almost immediately at the look of fear and relief. Kaiba pushed himself out of the wheelchair and took a single, tentative step away from it.

Mokuba was immediately at his side in an effort to help him balance.

“Get out of my house.”

Bakura simply raised an eyebrow at Kaiba and stared. He watched the tall boy stand at his full, towering height. He watched the untrusting glare solidify in the stone cold features of his face. And he watched as he ever so subtly pushed Mokuba behind him.

Bakura just let out an amused snort and looked away. “It would do you well to remember this moment.” He turned away and headed for the door. “Maybe I'll see you at Duelist Kingdom.” He didn't see the glare soften in confusion.

But he knew it was there.

-

The ship was a huge cruise liner with at least four different decks. It was brightly lit and inviting for everyone who happened to be invited.

Yugi stared up at it tensely. As much as he enjoyed playing games, he couldn't find it in him to like the idea of doing this in exchange for his grandfather's soul. It was wrong; this should have never happened. He could feel the watchful eyes of his other self.

 _Don't fret, Aibou._ _We'll make him pay for this._

Despite himself, Yugi felt a bit of comfort in the declaration. It was a little too close to threatening for his taste but he knew the spirit meant well. Or at least well enough. And, for some reason, he had enough care and respect for Yugi to listen when the host told him to stop.

At least, he seemed to stop when Yugi told him no. Something nagged at him in the back of his mind and told him this wasn't necessarily true. Some part of him continued to be suspicious of the intentions behind the Other Yugi's actions. Not a fear of being hurt but a fear of him hurting others.

And, if the other him was hurting others, that made Yugi just as responsible. Because he was the only one with the power or the knowledge to stop him. If only the knowledge and power were more apparent to him.

“Yo! Yugi!”

He turned in time to see Jounouchi trotting up to him. In the time since they last spoke, the blond had managed to get a glove for himself. It was possibly from someone here but Yugi wasn't going to question it. Because now he had someone to help him through this.

Someone that wasn't going to lock him away in his own soul for his 'own good.' Someone who could just be there through this. This was a lot to deal with even without the variable of a spirit hellbent on destroying the wrongdoers and protecting him by any means necessary.

Yugi smiled at Jounouchi. “Hey, Jounouchi-kun.”

“You ready to kick some ass? Cuz I am pumped!” The blond flexed as they headed to the ship.

“Yeah!” He grinned back at his friend before the smile slowly began to fade. His hand fell on the Puzzle. “Yeah...”

Jou's smile fell and his lips tightened as he remembered the severity of this tournament. “Yeah, guess this isn't just all fun times.”

Yugi blinked and quickly covered his expression. “It's not that! I just... kinda wish everyone was here. It's kind of silly this is only a trip for duelists.”

Jou glanced off towards the city. He tried to cover his grim expression as quickly as possible; even if he didn't agree with whatever voodoo bullshit was going on, he wasn't about to step into the line of fire unless his buddy was in immediate danger. So, he would keep this from Yugi. For now.

He shrugged. “Maybe we can find a way to contact them when we get to the island. They're not gonna let us do this without some kind of encouragement.”

Yugi nodded and looked around as everyone started to make their way onto the ship. “Yeah. You're right.” He mumbled softly to himself and watched as Jounouchi began to walk towards the ship.

He followed the blond.

-

“It shouldn't be too much longer. Who told you to drink that entire bottle of water anyway?”

“I was thirsty, so sue me!” Anzu shook and kept her knees firmly against one another. It felt like they were there for hours, simply waiting for Ryo to finish chatting up one guard that seemed particularly interested in him. His eyes wandered and lingered on Ryo a little too long. Anzu knew that look. She'd seen it before.

It was at that point Anzu could practically hear the snarling coming from the Ring. The spirit was not happy with this way of sneaking onto the ship but he allowed it to pass. When the guard led Ryo onto the ship for a tour of the rooms, he left an opening for Honda and Anzu to sneak on.

From there they found a spot to hide. And Anzu could only hope Ryo knew what he was doing. At least her need for a bathroom did a little bit to alleviate her worry for the boy.

But then it was clear that Bakura was the one there to tell them the coast was clear. He looked at them tiredly when he finally showed up to their location. “You're free to walk around now. Just avoid anyone wearing a suit.”

Anzu immediately ran passed Bakura. He didn't question it.

Honda slowly stood up straighter and regarded the other boy. He saw the glare off to the side as if there was someone there he was not too pleased with. It took him a minute to work up the courage to speak. “How did everything go with that guard?”

Bakura blinked in surprise but quickly covered it with another glare. “We're on the ship now. That's all that matters.”

Honda fell just short of asking the question that sat in his mind. He'd seen the way that guard looked at Ryo. He saw that Ryo didn't quite register the dangers of the situation. He thought he heard the threats to the man's life when he wrapped an arm around Ryo's shoulder and led him away.

But he didn't see what happened behind those doors. And if Bakura was now in control, it probably wasn't for a good reason. He doubted spirits just needed to take over to stretch their legs.

“Don't stare at me like that, Honda.”

Honda immediately averted his eyes.

Bakura looked away as well. He glanced off to the side where Ryo hugged himself loosely and refused to look at him. He didn't need to tell Ryo how he felt about the situation he put himself in; he made that plenty clear when he pulled them out of it.

But now the boy seemed to be thinking too deeply about it. He could feel Ryo shutting down. “Hey.”

Ryo blinked and looked at Bakura.

“You... you did well getting us here. Without you, we'd be back on the docks.” He stared into the other's eyes.

Ryo frowned at him.

Bakura snapped back around. “Just take the compliment, Yandonushi!”

Ryo looked confused for a moment and the frown completely fell from his features. It took a moment before something seemed to occur to him. Then, a smile crept onto his face. _Thank you, Koe._

Bakura shoved his hands in his pockets and stalked away. He felt a little flush just standing there. “Yeah yeah.” He had to remember they were on a mission. They had to keep an eye out for a certain puzzle wielding brat.

-

He didn't really care about the life of the grandfather. Sure, the old man did well in raising Yugi, but beyond that, he didn't seem to serve much of a purpose. He was old and frail; his time would be approaching soon.

But the moment his soul was taken away and Yugi became distraught, the rage began to build.

He didn't care about much. The mother barely parented, the father was nonexistent, the friends could turn on them any moment. Anyone outside of that was just one wrong move away from a painful death.

But Yugi cared. And that was enough.

He couldn't be sure why. Any time he thought to question it, he would be lost in his own thoughts and forget the world around him. There was no proper answer for his question. All he knew was if Yugi wanted something done, there would be nothing to keep him from his objective.

And anyone standing in his way would be struck down before they could utter their thought of rebellion.

He watched Yugi with Jounouchi closely. He was possibly the only friend that got much of a pass; of course, the Other Yugi hadn't forgotten the memories of torment and bullying. If he could find a single shred of that same Jounouchi who hurt his-

_Mou hitori no boku?_

He looked back at Yugi and his mind was silenced in order to take him in. Something in him wanted him to study every little feature on the boy as if he was seeing it for the first and last time. The pattern in his mind told him he shouldn't care. Caring would lead to pain.

But he couldn't help himself. Not when it came to Yugi.

Yugi frowned at him in confusion. _Are you alright?_

In response, the Other Yugi smiled. _Yes. I'm fine. Go be with your friend._

Yugi didn't look too sure but he nodded and followed after Jounouchi. He happily chatted about cards and various games that could be found in his grandfather's store. Games that, maybe when they were all together again, they would be able to play.

The Other Yugi just watched with that same smile. The smile slowly started to become more strained as something inside him seemed to remember something. The memory didn't come to the surface in thoughts but rather in the pain of the experience. A pain he couldn't completely understand but something he felt was warranted in its presence.

He blinked and tears rolled free of his eyes. He turned away so Yugi wouldn't notice. Maybe it was time for him to return to his soul room. He could try and figure out where his memories were stored in that forsaken item. They had to be somewhere in it if he was feeling something akin to a memory.

He looked at Yugi one last time to further imprint the happy memory before he faded from sight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted a lot today... But it was pretty much a long time coming.

**Author's Note:**

> So, here we are. Let me know what you think. Still working out a few things that would change due to the shift in power. Would Love to hear thoughts on how other people would be changed in this.


End file.
